Roadkill's 58 Chevy Stepside

[ptc]

Originally Posted by Roadkill58

I need to order another front panel for the bed. I have to section the front panel to make it look right. These are some of the issues that rear their ugly head when you do things that's that are not "stock"
However the finished product will be well worth the effort.

This project has taken a lot of time but I'm not going to deviate from my original goal of having a truck is easy to maintain and enjoy driving.

We are now into November and I should have some time to work on the truck.
Now that the house projects are finished I have claimed the rest of my days to making this truck driveable minus paint. We will see how that plays out.


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We can shoot for a Christmas SAC meetup with the new trucks.... so they can have a play day!!!! My deadline of Thanksgiving is going away fast, so maybe Christmas will be the next one...

See ya at Roundtable!

[Roadkill58]

Originally Posted by ptc

We can shoot for a Christmas SAC meetup with the new trucks.... so they can have a play day!!!! My deadline of Thanksgiving is going away fast, so maybe Christmas will be the next one...

See ya at Roundtable!

When is the Roundtable thing?

I couldn't find anything on the site.


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[ptc]

Originally Posted by Roadkill58

When is the Roundtable thing?

I couldn't find anything on the site.

Havent made one yet.... Not until my truck is roadworthy.

[Roadkill58]

I found some time to work on the truck yesterday.

The bed floor is raised 4 1/2 inches. That placed the bed wood on the raised part of the front bed panel.

I'm probably not qualified to do this kind of work, but when has that ever stopped me.

The front bed panel is now sectioned so the raised part of the panel is above the bed wood line.

I would not have cut so close to raised part of the panel, but I had already cut it off before I decided to section it.

[59chev]

great work! I was considering doing the same with mine. It bugs me for some reason when the bottom half of the raised part is below the bed wood.

[Roadkill58]

Originally Posted by 59chev

great work! I was considering doing the same with mine. It bugs me for some reason when the bottom half of the raised part is below the bed wood.

Thanks 59chev.

A smooth panel would have been easier, but where is the fun in that?


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[Bomp]

Cut it up, weld it together, show it off.
I like it. Great Job

[Roadkill58]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Cut it up, weld it together, show it off.
I like it. Great Job

Thanks Bomp.

I've read your build so I know you speak from experience.


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[Roadkill58]

Working on the truck as much as I can. Have the fuel tank back in. I've been looking at retro fit in tank fuel pumps but not sure which one is best for the truck. I'm going with a "return" type as the truck is plumbed with a return fuel line. Probably wait until the external fuel pump fails.

Installed new spark plug wires. Trying to get everything done in the engine compartment before the front sheet metal goes on.



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[Roadkill58]

Sorted some more wiring on the truck.

Tried to start it, and the external fuel pump made no noise.

I'm thinking I can order the new internal one now.

Instead I turned the fuel pump on, and tapped on it with a ball peen hammer, and it is working again.

They don't like to sit too long without fuel in them.

My brother came over Tuesday and helped me move the lift to the side of the shop. The whole slab is cleared off.

I'm getting walls, and roof for the "Les Nesman" (WKRP in Cincinnati) shop.

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[ptc]

Hey Jim hows things? I thought you were close to getting that truck done? or is this truck #2 or #3???? lol

Need to get together again - I will pm you my new number you may not have it, but lets connect soon.

[Roadkill58]

PTC I'm close, but still no cigar.

I had built the cross sill supports (4.5" raised bed) before I had the bed wood. Some of the bed strip bolts wanted the same real estate as part of the cross sill support.
It was a pain to get those 6 bolts in so I decided to do something about it. Once again I have the bed off. Then I realized there are no parking brake cables installed.

Anyone need a used grinder? The duct tape sort of holds it together.

Also installed a winch on my nephews trailer, and a hitch support on his truck. Got lucky with the scrap pile (not like that) again.


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[Roadkill58]

I need to get these out of the summer sun.

2013 RS Camaro, 2013 Tahoe LTZ.

I got this stuff delivered today 25' X 40' addition.

It will be nice to be able to work on the truck later than 11:00 AM.
That's when I loose the morning shade.

[jjzepplin]

What is that lovely pile of beams going to be? Hmm?

[Roadkill58]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

What is that lovely pile of beams going to be? Hmm?

I'm hoping it will be some shade very soon. The installation crew is behind schedule.


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[Hubscrub]

Awsome, nice work, I just read your whole build thread. Gets me motivated!

[Roadkill58]

Originally Posted by Hubscrub

Awsome, nice work, I just read your whole build thread. Gets me motivated!

Thanks Hubscrub. Motivation is the key to progress. Wish I had more of it.


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[Roadkill58]

California is on fire! I never smoked cigarettes, but I think I made up for it with all the smoke around here.

Until this week the only thing I've subbed out on this truck was the driveline.

I got my front parking brake cable from Control Cables Inc.

Used a piece of polytube to mock up the outer length.

It's offset a little to the driver side due to the torque arm mount.

The rear cables are from Summit Racing for a 1986 IROC rear disk.

Moved the rear brake line bracket to straighten the stainless braided line a little. Shortened the hard line from the prop valve.

Parking brake is important if you have a manual transmission.
The truck won't stay in one place in neutral without them.
Otherwise you have to carry some wheel chocks with you.



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[ptc]

Coming along nicely Jim! You get the garage up yet?

[Roadkill58]

Not yet.

They delivered the wrong material. The material was for horizontal sheeting.

We specified vertical sheeting on roof and walls.

So now we do some more waiting.

The shop roof will be insulated when installed.

It will have 12' wide 10' high roll up doors. The door on the driveway side will be electric with remote.

Hopefully the wife won't tear the fenders off her car when she parks.

I will finish the interior walls myself.

We have all of the lighting. The air, water, electrical is ready.

According to my limited math skills I should be able to drag the lift inside the shop when it is finished.

I might have another slab of concrete poured and leave it outside until winter.

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[Roadkill58]

My wife brought home some material to cover the seat, and the head liner.

The 58 is a big back window cab, and even the stock bench seat sticks up into the back window.

I'm going to cut enough out of the seat back so the top is even or below the bottom of the back window.

The material on the bottom is perforated like the modern seats.

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[Roadkill58]

I started to rewire the truck. The wiring wasn't making any sense until I unwrapped the loom to find another wire inside that had broken off at both ends.
This was on the rear light, brake, and turn wire loom. Now it makes sense.

Everything gets new wire with crimped, and soldered, shrink wrapped terminals.

I'm adding relays for the high and low beams with heavier gauge wire.

My wife has been on vacation for the last week. I've been in honey do hell.
Just wanted to share my pain with all of you.


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[Roadkill58]

I found some time to work on the truck.

Set the front tin on the chassis, and held it on with four bolts.

I had measured and marked where I needed to cut the inner fenders to

clear the upper suspension. It seems I was a little too conservative with my cuts.

Cut a little more off, and then welded some round stock to the cut edge.

Still a little touch up to do, and then some paint.

I have to run the head light, and parking/turn signal wire across, and add

the weather-pak connectors to both ends before setting the front tin back on.

The head light, and parking/turn signal wires will be hidden from view under

the hood. Once the head lights are wired up I can start on the bed again.

If I'm lucky the A-arms will clear the inner fender under compression.

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[daveshilling]

Good to see that you're getting after it! Sneak in 30 minutes whenever you can, it will get there.

[Roadkill58]

Thanks Dave.

Front tin is wired, inner fenders painted, and back on the truck.

All lights are working.

Next is exhaust, and then the bed.

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